


Gone to the Dogs

by Oldine



Series: Birches Grow [20]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Drama, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-11-14 12:15:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11207877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oldine/pseuds/Oldine
Summary: Jack is feeling restless and plans another weekend for him and Ianto. Local law enforcement asks them to evaluation a possible Torchwood situation.





	Gone to the Dogs

“But you never will be just a blip in time, Ianto Jones. Not for me…”

Deadline (Torchwood audio program)

 

 

** Friday, April 09, 2021 **

The website for a bed-and-breakfast inside the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park appealed. Ianto Jones climbed into the car feeling guilty and wanted to argue they could have easily brought Michael with them. But the baby had been restless since they returned from London. Finding time for themselves was difficult. They’d taken advantage of quiet lunch hours a few times at the hub. No one said anything, but he felt self-conscious about it. 

Jack drove west on the M4 after an early lunch. “You’ve babysat Anwen and Trefor a lot.” He patted Ianto’s leg. 

There were a lot of differences. The major one being that Anwen and Trefor liked him. Michael didn’t like Gwen and reacted badly to Rhys, his biological father, occasionally for no apparent reason. It complicated babysitting. Thankfully, Michael viewed his half-sister Anwen the same way Trefor did.

Trying to focus on the trip, Ianto said, “If the weather holds, we can hike.” He squeezed Jack’s hand lightly. 

“The view is incredible from the B&B.”

While the late Valentine’s Day trip had been fun, Ianto wanted the weekend to be different. “The reviews of The Pirate and The Smugglers Bar & Grill are good. We can have a couple of decent meals. I definitely want to walk the beach.”

“Maybe.”

Ianto turned and watched the scenery pass. “We could spend three days naked at home.”

“A call would come in,” Jack countered.

“Why drive to Amroth?”

“Someone else will be closer to the problem.”

Ianto laughed. 

Less than two hours later, Jack parked near a cluster of shops near the beach. The gift shop reminded Ianto of Anwen’s twelfth birthday on the first. Finding presents was always complicated by the fact that she didn’t enjoy the same things as typical kids her age.

“Focus.” Jack smiled. “Three days without work or kids.”

“You’re jealous.”

“Practical.”

Ianto nodded. “We can get a birthday present while we’re here.”

“You wanted to see the beach.” Jack motioned across the road.

Ianto suspected Jack had ulterior motives. Having Michael with them meant Jack didn’t get undivided attention. That probably explained the drive more than any Torchwood concerns. If a call came in that needed them, they’d have to go back. “Yeah.”

 

Jack Harkness set their overnight bags on the bed. The room felt peaceful. For whatever reason, relaxing was getting harder. He felt oddly uncertain about life in general and hoped a quiet weekend would help. The drive was worth the illusion of distance.

Ianto opened the French doors leading to the balcony and stepped out. Jack crossed the room and followed Ianto through the French doors. The view of the beautiful trees and landscaped lawn was spectacular. Jack set a hand lightly on Ianto’s back. 

“Like it?”

“You don’t need to impress me.”

Jack gave hugged Ianto with one arm. “It’s peaceful.”

Ianto nodded slightly. “You want to stay inside?”

“No.” The scenery pictures sold him on the place. 

Jack tried not to think about the weapons and the basic equipment they added to their backpacks just in case. Their weekends at Roberts’ B&B proved they needed to be prepared. He asked Luc to check the area with a drone before they left their flat. Nova Scotia would have called if they found anything.

Hand-in-hand, they left the bed-and-breakfast and headed through the trees behind the building. Even with the April chill, the walk was relaxing. With everything changing at Torchwood, it was chaotic. Jack wasn’t sure if he needed the quiet or Ianto’s company. 

“You’re quiet,” Ianto said after they’d walked for half-an-hour.

Jack gently squeezed Ianto’s hand. “I’m enjoying the company.”

Ianto hesitated. “Are you unhappy?”

“No.” Jack stopped and turned to look at Ianto. “Why?”

“We don’t have as much time together as we did.”

Jack pulled Ianto into a hug. “I’m just restless.”

 

Ianto Jones thought about dinner after the long walk. They had time to drive around before deciding where to eat. It would give him an opportunity to test a theory on Jack’s restlessness. He needed to feel in control. If making decisions lessened it, Ianto would know how to help.

“Where are having dinner?”

“I don’t know. Can we drive around?”

Jack led across the bed-and-breakfast backyard. “One of the places you mentioned is a bar and grill?”

“The Smugglers.”

“Is the menu online?”

“I don’t know.” Ianto saw the uniformed constable waiting for them and doubted he’d have the opportunity to check. 

“Good evening,” the man in his fifties said. “Are you with Torchwood?”

“Yeah. I’m Captain Jack Harkness. How can we help you?”

“I’m DC Selyv Evens. We have an odd situation north of the Colby Woodland Garden.” He hesitated. “I know you’re on vacation. I’m hoping it’s a joke.”

Jack nodded. “What happened?” 

Evens looked increasingly uneasy. “There is a property just outside Pembrokeshire with a strange history. A group of locals purchased the property. Why varies depending on who you ask. Near the center of the property is a small pond. They drained it because it was a strange color.” He hesitated. “There is a crystal shaped like an egg half buried in what was the center of the pond. Two of the property owners hallucinated and passed out according to a family member. They’re not cooperating with the investigation.”

Ianto set a hand lightly on Jack’s shoulder. “What concerns you?”

“Rumors.” From his expression, Evens didn’t want to admit something. “I think the owners know something about that property. I want to make sure it’s not dangerous.”

“We need a few minutes.” Jack motioned toward the bed-and-breakfast.

Ianto waited until the door shut to their room. “You couldn’t have known.”

“I had Luc scan the immediate area with a drone. There is nothing here.” Jack found his mobile. “He can extend the search zone.”

 

Following Evens in the car was simple enough. Jack Harkness drove trying to focus on the case. A part of him wanted to call John and ask him to handle it, telling Jack it was more than restlessness. He kept a hand on Ianto’s leg. The urge to apologize made him wonder.

Ianto clicked off a tablet. “We have no case files for this area.”

“Check area restaurants with online menus.” Jack sounded harsher than he intended, annoying himself. “We can resolve this before dinner.” He hoped.

Otherwise, he would call Gwen. She would coordinate with John and Luc and the general if necessary.

“There are a lot of options. Steak, seafood.”

“What sounds good?”

Ianto shrugged. “It all does.”

Then it didn’t matter, Jack thought. They’d go to the nearest one. 

As he parked behind the Evens, he wondered at the agitation. “I’ll call Luc. Research the area.”

The drone information on the area had a few readings Nova Scotia didn’t understand. Luc offered to coordinate with the general in Dublin. From his tone, Jack suspected he’d been rude and hadn’t realized it. 

He took a few deep breaths and approached DC Evens. “Where’s the crystal?”

The walk gave him time to think. Ianto’s first comments about him acting weird were after the retreat north of Brighton. He stopped mentioning Michael. Combined with the odd conversation about dinner, it probably meant the attitude was coming off as a control issue. He would ask outright when he returned to the car.

“You said the property has a strange history?” The wooded area reminded him of the earlier walk.

“Yeah. It’s considered haunted. The station has files going back at least thirty years. Most teenagers won’t come here even if dared.” It was not something Evens talked about. “Weird dogs are the only consistent part of the stories. I dismissed it as a local legend until a couple of French tourists had car trouble several years ago. A stranger stopped and offered to help them. He made the girls nervous. They agreed but called for emergency services while he wasn’t looking. Another man showed up while they waited. Both had bad intentions. Out of options, the girls took off into the woods.” He exhaled loudly. “The men were mauled to death. Wildlife services searched the area expecting rabid dogs and found nothing.”

“What did the girls say?” 

“During the attack, which they heard from a distance, they felt like they were being watched. The feeling went away after an ambulance arrived.”

“Any bad stories?”

“Depends on the person telling it. Two violent abusers have been seriously injured chasing their intended victims. Both fell and broke bones.”

Jack nodded. “Have the reports increased?”

“No.”

 

Researching the property made Ianto Jones wonder if Torchwood ignored the situation. A local run website had fourteen personal accounts they called dog stories. The descriptions made him think of Lewella. Dogs were associated with the Otherworld in Welsh mythology. A few witnesses described the animals as abnormally large, quiet and/or bright white. A retired history teacher in her nineties claimed to have met Arawn, the King of the Otherworld, on the property as a child. The stories could easily be dismissed as urban legends.

He made a list of people and experiences and checked the local media. The more recent accounts connected to archived newspaper articles. The reporter mentioned the strange history of the area. An additional article about two French women in their early twenties included dogs and warned of a possible safety hazard. He wondered if he needed to start researching local stories.

Ianto’s mobile rang. “Evening.” The screen showed the general’s number.

“What’s wrong with Jack?”

“It’s nice to hear from you too.”

The general groaned. “Luc described Jack’s attitude as disagreeable. It has to be bad for Luc to mention it.”

“Jack’s stressed.” Ianto wondered if it was more than that. 

“He’s jealous of the baby?”

Ianto kept the annoyance from his voice. “Do you have information on the readings?”

“Yeah. There is an alien spaceship in the area. The details would be in the Torchwood Global files. But my sister left the alien alone.”

Ianto explained about the crystal situation and the dog stories. 

“No idea. Jack always handled Wales.”

“Thanks.” Ianto opened the car door as the call ended. 

 

Seeing the drained pond, and the pink, egg-shaped crystal told Jack Harkness why Selyv Evens thought it could be a hoax. It looked like something out of a movie or television show. Jack used a hand-held scanner to check the immediate area. Nothing seemed unusual until he realized the crystal wasn’t showing on his scans. While not necessarily dangerous, it was worrisome.

“It looks like that Stephen King TV show.”

“To be safe, I need to secure it.” Jack quickly found his mobile and called the general for a containment box. He lived at the facility and would likely be able to send one faster.

“Is it valuable?”

Possibly, Jack thought, depending on what it was although he doubted it had any use or value on Earth. “I don’t know.”

Evens said nothing when the box arrived from thin air on a robot that looked like a large, automated cleaner. Jack grabbed it and headed for the semi-dry ground. Two steps from the edge, and he knew had a problem. A dizzy spell hit and his vision wavered.

“Jack!” 

Colors danced around him. 

“Jack, I need help.”

He turned toward Ianto’s voice, the movement making his head spin and the colors swirl. 

“Over here.”

Jack stumbled and fell. He vaguely felt someone dragging him over rough ground. When his thoughts cleared, he was laying on the ground across Ianto’s lap. “What happened?”

“You inhaled a hallucinogen. Evens recognized the symptoms after you were exposed.”

Jack remembered vague hallucinations. “Did you call for help?”

“To get your attention.”

“Do you want an ambulance?” Evens sounded uncomfortable.

“No.” Jack pushed himself up, and his head spun. 

 

Several minutes later, Ianto Jones helped Jack to his feet, wrapped an arm around him, and headed for the car. It reminded Ianto of the CN situation a year ago last February. At least Jack wasn’t flirting with imaginary aliens. That would have been too much for the detective constable.

“What bothered Evens?” 

“He didn’t notice we were a couple at the B&B.”

Jack laughed. “Not very observant.”

Ianto took a moment. “The locals have dealt with this drug before. Is the crystal a priority?”

“Yeah. I don’t know what it is or where it came from.”

Ianto nodded. 

Jack shifted his weight off Ianto’s shoulders. “Did you find anything?”

“The general called.” Ianto explained.

“Anything from the Internet?”

“People rescued by mysterious dogs. There are references to Welsh mythology and one sighting of the king of the Otherworld.” 

“Do you sense anything?”

“No. I doubt Lewella is involved.”

Jack stopped walking. “What is the community opinion of this property?”

“It’s dangerous.” Ianto turned to face Jack.

“Evens said teenagers wouldn’t come out here on a dare.” 

“No one local would have a drug lab here,” Ianto said, thinking about what he’d read. “Why would locals buy the property?”

“We need a local librarian or historian.”

Ianto nodded. “Can you make it back to the car?” He wondered if Jack had fully regenerated after the drug exposure. “I need to talk to Evens about closing off the area.”

 

While waiting, Jack Harkness reviewed Ianto’s case notes. They might be able to reach the library before it closed or ask the librarian to keep it open. The retired history teacher that mentioned the Otherworld might be a source of information. But Jack wondered if the local site host might be a better choice. He obviously knew the history of the property. 

Then Jack thought to review additional stories. Ianto focused on information specific to the property. The community had a lot of stories stretching back into history. The ones that stood out reportedly involved treasure buried hundreds of years ago by an eccentric rich man. The details varied, but one story indicated treasure hunters were possible.

Jack looked up as Ianto knocked on the car window. He opened the door.

“Keys.” Ianto held out his hand. “You’re not driving.”

“I’m fine.”

“Evens saw you land on your face,” Ianto countered.

Jack waited until Ianto had turned the car around to share what he’d found. “This probably isn’t our jurisdiction.”

Ianto drove down the gravel access road. “Why did you chose Amroth?”

Emailed information, Jack thought. The more publicity Torchwood received, the more offers were sent. “An ad.”

“Did it come from Cory?”

“No. Why?”

“We receive dozens a month to our general account. Discounts, veiled promotion requests, most are PR and directed at Gwen. The last offer you received was for a swingers club opening in London.”

Jack laughed. 

“Someone brought us here.”

Jack found his mobile. They needed information about the area from the Global database. That required Anwen at the hub. He quickly found Gwen’s number in his contacts and called. They weren’t at the hub. The research would take awhile.

“Dinner?”

“Yeah. Preference?” Ianto turned toward the restaurant options.

Jack remembered he needed to ask about his attitude. “Am I’m having control issues?”

“I don’t know.” Ianto hesitated. “You were rude enough to Luc that he said something to the general.”

 

The information arrived partway through dinner. Ianto Jones checked it for any immediate concerns before finishing his meal. After desert, he read the first notes. The general had been partly right. The future version of Jack made the ruling on the alien. 

Ianto waited while two teenage girls took pictures of Jack and giggled. “I can’t take you anywhere.”

Jack smiled. “What did you find?”

“A friend of yours and John’s from your Time Agency days. Most of the details are locked in one of your personal files. He can pass for human and is living on earth to stay out of trouble.”

“Send the information to John. He might remember.” 

Ianto handed Jack the tablet across the table.

It didn’t take long for Jack to make the connection. “The owner of the website.”

While waiting for John’s response, they headed for the address listed. The secluded house had a long drive. Ianto parked before the last turn that led to the access road. A couple of thoughts occurred to Ianto during the drive. He wanted to check before he said anything.

“What are you looking for?” Jack squeezed Ianto’s leg light above his knee.

“Llewelyn Thelen. The names he chose are related to Celtic deities.” Ianto held out the information. “One of the witnesses on the website reported seeing Arawn, the King of the Otherworld.” 

“You think he’s impersonating a god?”

“You have an ex that named himself after the angel of death.” Technically not an ex, Ianto thought, as that Aman dated Jack in a future that had been destroyed. “It’s not outside the range of possibilities.”

He laughed. “Aman is bad with aliases.”

Ianto’s mobile chimed with John’s response. “Thelen is a con artist with a fondness for researching local history and mythology and has an awful sense of humor.” 

“Any safety concerns?”

Ianto sent a text. The response arrived quickly. He rolled his eyes. “Thelen is a plant-based lifeform and toxic if shagged.”

 

Memory problems were an ongoing frustration. Jack Harkness wished he could access to his personal files on the Global database as Ianto parked near the house. Jack considered portaling back to the hub to check, but accessing restricted files could be complicated and time-consuming. 

“Let me talk to him first.” He unfastened his seatbelt. 

Ianto set a hand on Jack’s leg. “I’m going to ask John what he meant by toxic.”

“Why?”

Ianto hesitated. “The hallucinogen that contaminated the pond is plant-based with odd properties. Both the dragons and the aquatic aliens produced secretions that cause hallucinations.”

Jack opened the door hoping that wasn’t the case. It would be easier if he could get information supporting the theory it wasn’t a Torchwood case although he couldn’t help but question why they’d been lured into the area. If it wasn’t a coincidence, he thought. They were rare but happened.

The door opened, and a man stepped onto the porch looking like a stereotypical history professor. He looked about sixty with graying hair and a tan business casual suit without the jacket or tie. Something about him was familiar. Jack had seen him in Cardiff at one of the universities in the last couple years.

“Jack, is it?” Thelen smiled. “You have no idea who I am.”

“Memory glitch.” Jack knew he couldn’t lie to someone that knew him.

“Your friend is staying in the car?”

“Ianto’s researching the local situation.”

Thelen nodded, motioning Jack inside. “I can explain some of it.”

The decor looked like a cross between a university office and a mad scientist. Thelen led into a library with floor to ceiling bookshelves and a few newer armchairs, small tables, and antique lamps. They sat opposite of each other.

“There is a crystal egg that doesn’t scan in the remains of a toxic pond.”

“It’s a Liasi crystal.” Thelen looked confused. “The pond is toxic?”

“It causes hallucinations.”

“I planted the egg. It’s harmless.” Thelen shrugged. “It has temporal and quantum entanglement properties, but no one here would be able to build anything. The technology is ancient and would require a Time Lord or other near-mythical being.”

“Why?”

“I created a scavenger hunt. There was a group of greedy local men likely to get into trouble, so I distracted them. Cryptic clues and fake magic items. They’re chasing treasure that might exist.”

That fit with what John said. “What about Arawn and the dogs?”

“I don’t know. The few times I have been on that property, I felt like I was being watched.”

“Like the French girls.”

Annoyance flashed across Thelen’s face. “You don’t remember me. If you did, you’d know I have limits. Those girls and the emergency responders were traumatized.”

“Why did you send the email? Why not call?”

Thelen looked puzzled. “What email?”

“I received a promotional ad for the area. It’s why Ianto and I are in Amroth.” Jack wondered if they were missing something. 

“No. If I thought we had a problem that needed you, I would have called.”

 

Ianto Jones thought about the email after John had said it was unlikely Thelen had anything to do with the contaminated pond. He hoped he was wrong. Jack thankfully kept it. Ianto forwarded it from Jack’s office account to Kailen at Nova Scotia. Tracking should be quick.

When Kailen responded, the information was unexpected. He checked articles associated with the property again and the local phone book to see if the name was common. It forced him to rethink the entire situation.

Jack returned to the car. “I don’t think Thelen brought us here.”

“No. Kailen determined Eira Bowell, the ninety-year-old woman connected to the Arawn stories, sent the email.”

“We need to talk to her.”

“If it’s an ancient,” Ianto said, “It’s not Lewella.” He would have sensed her.

Jack checked his pocket watch. “Should we wait until morning?”

“We could drive-by and check if there is evidence she’s awake.”

Bowell lived adjacent to the property in an old family house built of stone. She waited on the porch in a rocking chair with a white puppy on her lap as Ianto parked. 

He released his seatbelt. “She’s a retired history teacher.”

“Do you sense anything?”

“No.”

They stepped from the car and looked around. Ianto couldn’t miss the ridiculousness of being more concerned about a ninety-year-old human than an unknown alien. But something about the situation was wrong. The ad brought them to Amroth. The drugged pond involved them in the investigation and led them there.

“It’s not nice to make an old woman wait,” Bowell said as they approached the porch.

“Why did you bring us here?” Ianto asked.

She held up the puppy. “A gift.”

Unsure of what else to do, Ianto walked up the porch steps and accepted the dog. When Lewella gave him Russell, she left him outside the building after a dream. From what Ianto had seen, his cat didn’t like dogs. Although Trefor wanted a puppy, Gwen and Rhys opted not to get one. Ianto wondered if Bree liked dogs. 

“Why?”

Bowell stood. “Don’t question the king.” She turned and walked slowly into the house and shut the door with a thud behind her.

Ianto waited until they were back in the car. “This is wrong.”

“Trefor will be happy.”

Ianto set the puppy on Jack’s lap. “I don’t sense anything. Not here. Not at the property. If the stories are remotely accurate, the unexplained dogs are similar to Welsh mythology involving Arawn and the Otherworld. If it involved Lewella, I would sense something.”

“Your connection to Lewella is known by some with abilities similar to the Dove’s. She could be delusional.”

“I doubt it.”

 

** Sunday, April 11, 2021 **

With Evens reporting the property under control, and no evidence of a Torchwood situation, the weekend improved. They walked the beach, hiked, and explored Amroth on foot. With the puppy, they opted for groceries that didn’t require cooking. They ate in their room or on the balcony.

After spending most of the morning in bed, they packed for the drive home. Jack Harkness realized as he returned their bags to the trunk that the restless disappeared. The memory of their first night together filled his mind as they climbed into the car. It felt like a different lifetime ago. Ianto made the first move in the shadow of Lisa’s death and surprised him. 

“What should I name her?” Ianto gently settled the pup on his lap.

“Ask Trefor.”

“I thought Bree might like the company. She’s been withdrawn since Jodi died.”

Jack nodded, unfortunately, able to relate. He’d lost too many friends and lovers over the years. Memories of his relationship with John floated to the surface. The relationship hadn’t been the healthiest. They’d been very different people then.

As the M4 returned them to Cardiff, Jack realized he had clear memories of his life before Gray buried him and even before arriving on Earth. While it would make life easier, he wondered how it happened. He needed to check his Global files on Amroth. They’d missed something.


End file.
